The Deep View: AI leads people to work more, not less

Posted on February 11, 2026 by michelleclarke2015
Study: AI leads people to work more, not less

Though many workers worry that AI is going to take their jobs, evidence suggests that it’s actually giving AI adopters more work, not less.

In an eight-month study of approximately 200 workers at a US-based tech company, Harvard University researchers discovered that AI tools consistently intensified work, rather than reducing the load. The researchers found that AI tools allowed workers to complete tasks faster, enabling them to take on a broader scope of tasks, thereby extending their work hours.Though the company being studied offered enterprise subscriptions to AI tools for their employees, the researchers noted that these employees were not mandated to use AI. Rather, the workers did so of their own accord. The problem, however, is that once the excitement over these shiny new AI tools wore off, workers found that their workload had increased without them noticing.

The researchers identified three main ways that these workloads intensified: AI made tasks that were once out of reach feel achievable to new audiences. For example, coding and engineering tasks are now within reach for non-technical employees. Reduced friction in starting and completing tasks also blurred the boundaries between work and non-work. Finally, these tools allowed for easier multitasking, with the tech being seen as a “partner” that could handle more tasks in the background. The consequence of that, however, was also an increased taskload. 

Harvard’s study joins a litany of conflicting research detailing how AI will impact the way we work. While some say that AI can already automate thousands of hours of work and make certain jobs obsolete, others argue that AI will create new jobs entirely. This study lands somewhere in the middle: Creating new work in the jobs that we already have, while quietly piling on more right under our noses.
Since this study is focused on an American company, it may demonstrate a symptom of US work culture more than the impact of AI alone. However, it highlights the downside of unlocking more productivity: When AI enables people to do more, people often feel as though they have to do more, too. This comes as AI-powered displacement is also creating a constant undercurrent of anxiety among workers. Though all new tech comes with a learning curve, AI’s learning curve could involve learning to do less. 
 
Unknown's avatar

About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a comment